cyclicality | Welcome to Republic City!

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Welcome to Republic City!

It was a bright and sunny normal day in Republic City. Children were playing, spirits were chirping about, and everything was going along like normal. Well at least that's what everyone seemed to think. That is until so many people seemed to be appearing out of nowhere. For some reason Republic City seemed to be more lively and the crowds bigger.

The spirits have grown restless as if something important was about to change, and to try to fix that change, the spirits with their big long tree like limbs dragged people into the world left and right. Even the vines covering Republic City seemed to help. Although the spirits had the best intentions in mind, some people were more affected by the grab than others. There's talk that people in this city don't even know what this place is. People who have never heard of the words "bender" or "non-bender."

Welcome to Republic City! And to those who already live here: Happy Saturday. Please make yourselves at home and don't mind a little spirit gunk. It's mostly harmless. Go enjoy yourself a classic mover. Maybe you're the athletic type. If that's the case, come watch a few Pro-bending matches or form your own team. Just watch out for any Satomobiles. They can be deadly no matter how pretty the driver is.

Please remember to enjoy your stay and don't cause too much trouble. The Republic City Police don't need more riffraff to take care of. And don't stray too far. To make the the peace is kept, there's a huge spirit barrier around the perimeter of the city. It seems pretty strong, but it won't be able to last forever. Still, it's worrying. Radio signals and telegraphs don't seem to be getting past it.

[ OOC: The game is officially open! From this point on, feel free to make any posts you want or tag into this. Please remember to tag your posts with Canon: Character. Finally, although the game has no real network, you're free to respond with prose or brackets, whatever you're comfortable with. With that said, have fun! ]

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He keeps his attention fixated on the dragon, only giving a passing glance to the man who answered him. He smiles in delight and waves at the dragon. "That's so neat! Is he friendly?" Then Aang will take a few steps forward without waiting for the answer.

Fortunately for Aang, the dragon seems friendly enough, because he remains very still as Aang approaches, letting out a low, throaty rumble of acknowledgement.

"He won't harm you, don't worry." Lord Zuko stands back to let the boy have a good look. Finally, though, his curiosity gets the better of him, and he has to ask: "Forgive the question, but when did you earn those airbending tattoos?"

"That's great!" And then he freezes as the question is asked. He's trying to cover his tracks, so he turns and sheepishly chuckles as he rubs at his head. "What tattoos? Oh... You mean these tattoos! I... um... I just got them! Yeah, that's it. I'm a fast learner!"

It doesn't take a genius to figure out he's being lied to, and the boy is intentionally playing dumb. If Zuko didn't have reason to be suspicious before, he does now, but he decides to play along:

"Is that so? Tenzin must be delighted to have trained another young master so soon. A shame I wasn't invited to the ceremony."

"He... he really must be! I'm sure he wanted you to be there, but your invitation must've got lost in the mail." He actually gets a look at the old man, and something about him looks intensely familiar. He just can't tell what. "And it happened really far away! On... um... Kangaroo Island!"

"Kangaroo Island? Well, no distance is too far for Druk and I, but I understand these things happen," he says mildly. No, he still doesn't believe a word this boy is saying for an instant, but he'll let him carry on for a while longer. "You didn't tell me your name, by the way..."

"Me? My name? Um, well... my name is Aang! You know... like the statue?"

Zuko's scepticism quickly changes to astonishment. "Aang?" He stares. Now that he considers it, suddenly everything makes a lot more sense. "... You're so young, I barely recognised you."

"What do you mean?" His eyes grow wide. And he's a little nervous. He was all ready to pass himself off as someone else to this old man. But... this wasn't just some old man, was it?

Something in the face, beyond all the wrinkles, something in his voice... and that scar. It all rang so familiar. But it couldn't be.

"You... you know me?" he asks uncertainly.

Zuko continues to stare, awed. He has so many questions, not least of which whether he's seeing things, or if this is all some elaborate dream. He says quietly: "Of course I do. How could I forget my best friend, even after all these years?"

Will he believe him? He hopes so. The scar should be distinguishing enough, even if the rest of him is beyond recognition.

"It's me-- Zuko."

"Zuko?" He gasps as he looks towards the old man. It all seems to fit, all too well. Still, Aang remains hesitant. "But... but Zuko's just a teenager!"

"I was a teenager, a long time ago. About seventy years ago, in fact." He frowns at Aang. "Yet you don't look a day older than when we ended the war... How can that be?"

More Spirit World interference? Even so, if Aang was here from the Spirit World, he shouldn't be this young or be missing so many memories... And what about Korra? Even if she did have access to her past lives again, there's no sign this is Aang's spirit he's talking to through her. It would make no sense.

"I'm actually not a day older than when we celebrated the end of the war at the Jasmine Dragon. Then something happened. Something... spirity."

He gives a thoughtful pause. "Are you sure you're Zuko?"

"You have some nerve, Aang, to somehow hop into the future, and then ask me to prove if I'm the real thing." Zuko doesn't know whether to laugh or be exasperated. If anyone should have anything to prove, it's an Avatar who shouldn't be here at all. Spirity happenings or otherwise. "Do I really look so different?"

"Maybe not too different! I guess if you take away the beard and the wrinkles, you do look a lot like Zuko! The grumpy face, the scar... It almost works."

This is so weird, the best way to cope with this weirdness is to go down this route. He puts on a disinterested look, but there's also a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "But if you really really are the real Zuko... You'd know how to do a really special dance!" His gaze drifts back towards Druk.

Druk looks around at them both curiously, at the mention of dancing, but Zuko shakes his head. "I could, but there are bigger issues at hand than practicing firebending forms, old friend. If you still think my identity is in doubt later, there will be plenty of time for it." He pats Druk's side. He's the same party pooper that he ever was, but at least he'll take being called grumpy and wrinkly good humour.

For a moment, Aang shoots him a chipmunk glare. And then he breaks into a grin. "It really is you!" Somehow finding a way out of the dancing dragon and referring to it as a firebending form was enough to confirm it.

For a moment, he puts his hands together to do a Fire Nation-style bow, while meekly asking "Your Fieriness?" And then he adds with a more serious tone. "How... how big are these issues?"

Zuko smiles when he's finally recognised, although it's tinged with sadness. It really has been a long time. He returns the bow, though, trying to remain focused on the tasks at hand.

"I'm very glad to see you again, Aang... but I'm afraid your presence here is one of those issues." Then he gestures to the barrier. "This is another. It's preventing anyone entering or leaving the city, and there seems to be no way through it."

He then fixates his attention on the barrier, his eyes growing wide. "Whoa. That can't be good. What's it made of?"

"I was hoping you might be able to answer that. It's surrounding the whole city, it's impervious to fire, and there are no gaps or holes in it to slip through. In short -- the city is trapped." He frowns at it, and back at Aang. "This city has existed since not long after the end of the war, and even in all those years, I've never seen anything like this."

He'd almost hoped Aang's appearance here was a sign he had come to help, inexplicable though it was... but it seems his young best friend is just as clueless as anyone in the city. This is getting more and more complicated with every passing moment.

"I don't think I've ever seen or heard of anything like this. But..."

He gives a determined nod and takes some steps forward.

"I think you're right. I think this has gotta be why I'm here. I've gotta help... and I'm gonna do my best. I won't let you down."

Zuko is visibly relieved. If there was anything to cast aside any doubts that this is really Aang, that response lays those doubts to rest. He would never back down whenever help was needed, even if the situation was as unfamiliar as this.

"Thank you, Aang. If anyone can set things to rights here, it's you. And I'll help in whatever ways I can."

"I know you will. Cuz you're Zuko." As Aang said that, he flashed a warm smile from over his shoulder. "With a beard."

And then he took some more steps forward, as close as he could get to the barrier, to try to get a better grasp at the situation. He did feel a tight pressure that comes with being depended on, but it was a feeling he had learned to resist.

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Welcome to Republic City!

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